CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has accepted an apology from the Mail & Guardian regarding a factually incorrect story about its leader Mmusi Maimane.

Last month, the newspaper ran as its lead a story, quoting several anonymous sources claiming Maimane had taken leadership lessons from former president FW de Klerk.

Maimane had described the story as baseless and offensive nonsense.

"I have only met the man once, it was in 2014. I don't even know where he stays. What can I learn from FW de Klerk? I meet with leaders, with former President Thabo Mbeki, I have met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Part of my engagement as the leader of the opposition is to meet with various leaders."

In yesterday's edition, editor Verashni Pillay, acknowledged it had erred on the story and issued an apology to the DA and Maimane.

The party's Phumzile van Damme said, "The DA wholeheartedly accepts the apology from the Mail & Guardian yesterday. We commend the Mail & Guardian for their constructive engagement on this issue, taking the appropriate steps to correcting the matter."